Like a Crumbling Boulder
by VoiceintheShadows
Summary: Toph is having some emotional issues with a certain Water Tribe boy and Katara explains Toph's feelings in a way that she can understand. A one-sided Tokka.


Disclaimer: The reason that I don't own anything is because I keep spending all of my money.

"Speech"; 'Thought'; Narration. We'll get along fine.

**Like a Crumbling Boulder **

'Idiot. He's an idiot. Just a _loud_, stupid idiot. Why does he always have to shout whenever that… that Whatever-it-is is mentioned?' Toph was staring at the ground, feeling miserable. A stranger had just said something about the moon and Sokka was shouting every positive adjective he knew (It was a short conversation). 'How can he say so much about it? It's not even a real person. And why… why do I feel so miserable?' She kept her eyes glued to the ground. 

... … … … … 

A few hours later, the gang was in the woods setting up camp. Katara was cooking, Sokka was putting up the tents and Aang was trying to learn a new trick with some falling leaves. Toph was sitting quietly on the ground with her arms hugging her knees to her chest. She had been trying to "see" Sokka with as much detail as she could with her Earthbending but realized that she would never get the kind of detail that she wanted. She let out a huff and started feeling depressed again. 

"Um… Toph?" Sokka said uneasily.

She gave a surprised gasp but recovered quickly. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just that you've been staring at me for a while now. Are you ok?"

Toph jumped to her feet and her eyes shot open. "I can't _see_ at all, so doesn't matter _where_ I look! Got it?" She turned away from everyone, crossing her arms. 

"Yeah, ok. Sorry."

"Good." Toph felt herself blushing madly and started walking away from the campsite. 'I can't believe I was staring at him! _Literally_ staring at him! Like some googily-eyed fangirl!'

"Toph," Katara called, "Where are you going?"

"A walk."

"But dinner's almost-"

"Not hungry." Toph said flatly. She wanted to figure out what was going on with herself before she did something stupid. 

"What's her problem?" Sokka asked, annoyed, as a pile of leaves crawled up behind him. "She seems grumpier then usual."

"Maybe she's just tiered from flying all day." Aang said, sticking his head out from the leaf pile. 

"What are you doing, Aang?"

"Trying to mix Airbending and Earthbending to move leaves."

"I'm going to try and talk to her." Katara said, getting up and running to the woods.

"Wait! What about dinner?"

"It's soup! You just pour it into a bowl!"

Oh Yeah. Would you cut that out already?"

"Ha ha, sorry."

… … … … … 

Katara stepped into a clearing surrounded by large boulders and at least half were obliterated. "This looks like the place. TOPH?"

"I can hear you, Sugar Queen. I heard you coming a mile away." Toph slid off a tall boulder and stared at the ground.

"What's going on, Toph?"

"If I had something to talk about, do you think I would walk _away_ from people?"

"You would if you wanted to avoid someone."

"I am _not_ avoiding Sokka." Toph said as she looked up, annoyed. 

"Ah, so it _is_ Sokka." Katara gave a sigh of relief while Toph fumed. 

"SUGAR QUEEN!" she shouted as she broke a boulder. 

"Easy, Toph. Take a breath." 

Toph Leaned against a rock trying to catch her breath and then sighed. "Am I really that obvious?"

"Well not to those two but I am another girl." Toph gave a grunt of disbelief. "Well you are about that age, and there was that kiss at Serpent's Pass."

"What?" Toph yelled and turned red. "_She_ told you? I knew she was a-"

"Toph, Toph. Suki didn't tell me _anything_. I heard Sokka yell and I looked over my shoulder. You really don't like her do you?"

"It's not that I _hate_ her, it's just that I… well she…"

Katara walked over to Toph and hugged her. "It's ok. I understand."

"I just feel so pathetic sometimes, and I _hate_ feeling helpless."

"It's ok. It's ok."

"No, it's not!" Toph yelled, breaking out of the hug and she began to pace. "It's bad enough that she's tough enough to take on a Bender, but she can also see and is more, well… _developed_." She whispered the last part.

"Oh," Katara started blushing. 'So she _does_ think about those things.' You will too, one day, but he should like you for who you are now. And he _does_ notice you, trust me." 

"It's not just that. It seems like he cares more about inanimate objects then me."

"That's crazy. He's always talked to his weapons like-"

"Tell me about the moon. Why is it so special?" 

"Oh, well maybe it's time I told you about the Northern Water Tribe."

… … … … … 

"Sokka, maybe you shouldn't eat all the food." 

"It's fine, there's plenty."

"Not for long." Aang muttered.

"Huh?"

"I said, 'the sun's setting.' Maybe we should look for them."

"Trust me, you never want to get in the way of girl talk."

"If you say so. Hey, leave some for me!"

… … … … …

Toph destroyed another boulder. "Great! Just Great! Not only am I competing with a warrior, but I'm also up against a dead girl!" 

"Actually she's not dead. She's pretty much immortal now."

"Grrreeaaattt. Nice pep talk."

"Come on, Toph. I know how it feels when someone you like acts like you don't exist."

"Really." Toph said flatly, as she got ready to destroy another rock.

"Yeah, you kind of feel like a crumbling boulder."

Toph's fist stopped short of the rock. She turned and gave Katara a small smile. "You're not making fun of me are you?" 

"Of course not. Just be yourself and you'll be fine. Besides, he _knows_ you exist." She put an arm around Toph's shoulders. "You feel better now?"

"Good enough. But it's still a cheesy pep talk."

"Ha ha. Alright, then let's get back to camp."

… … … … …

"Wow, it got dark quick. It's feels kinda creepy." Katara said, looking around. 

"Well, camp feels strait ahead. Shouldn't be too-" A small pile of leaves attacked Katara and pulled her into a bush. "-Far." Toph looked confused and then gave a tired smile. "Sure you're alone. Ugh. You and Twinkle Toes need to learn some subtlety."

_In the Bush_

"MMPH! What's going on!"

"Shh, shh! It's me!" Aang whispered anxiously.

"AANG, what are-"

"Shh!"

"What are you doing?" She whispered.

"I think I've mastered Leafbending and want to test it by getting some payback- I mean retribution."

Katara blinked. "For what?"

"Starvation and multiple bruises." 

"Aaaang."

"Shh! Just watch. I promise _I _won't hurt anyone."

_At the Campsite_

"I did _not_ need to hear that." Toph said, entering into the firelight. 

"Hear what? And where's Katara?"

"Not sure and in a bush." 

"A bush?" Sokka said raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Aang pulled her into it." Toph said matter-of-factly as she walked towards the fire. 

"Why that Little!" Sokka grabbed a knife and started running past Toph. The leaves under Toph and Sokka's feet shifted suddenly: Sokka fell backward and Toph slipped forward. Now, if they had just fallen on each other and started fighting, Aang's "plan" would have worked out just fine. The only problem was that Sokka landed flat on his back and Toph couldn't Earthbend into a different position while in midair. As the scattered leaves danced around them and gravity slowly returned, their lips connected and Toph was in Heaven. 


End file.
